Automobile extensible trunk



Aug. 8, 1933. R. E. sTEvENsoN AUTOMOBILE EXTENSIBLE TRUNK #fior/rays.

Filed March 17 1950 Patented Aug. 8, 1933 gunire 'sa renner-s K Leng-iol. s v anisotropies Expansions reunir.

I Robert E. Stevenson,indianapolis, Ind.

Application March i939. Serial N0. 436,344'

it claims. (ci. feat-29)y This invention relates to the art of trunks oi the type adapted'to be'mounted on automobiles andthe like and particularly to thatV type `of trunks that maybe enlarged as may be vdesired to accommodate a Vvarying' amountk of luggage ory loose articles to be carried.

OneY oi the primary purposes of the invention' is to provide a trunk structure thatwill permit the trunk to be enlarged at will and to have a cover extensible therewith. A. primary object also resides in the means provided for supporting the extended portion of thetrunk to prevent its sagging down and the .binding of the various members while being extended.

Other important objects are to be found in the provision of a cover that may be locked -at any f of the selected positions; in the simple Y'and readily operated means for securing the extended portion at the selected positions; in 'the partic- I 20k ular'swingngcantileverbars provided to follow and Support the extended trunkr por ion; and in the general lsimplicity and uniqueness of the structure permitting the production of a'V neat appearing trunk at a relatively low Vcost of.

production. l Y

These and otherobjeots will become apparent in the, following description ofthe invention as illustrated in one particular form by the accompanying drawing, in which v i Fig.; is a iront perspective view of a trunk embodying my invention with the. topA partly opened;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the trunk in an extended position taken from beneath the trunk looking up at the bottom;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the trunk in the contracted position; and

. Fig. 4' a detailin lvertical section 'on the line 4- l in Fig. 2.

Like `characters of vreference indicate like parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

.I provide a horizontal base bar l) here shown as having the holes 11, 12 and 13 therethrough las means or attaching this base to any supporting bracket (not shown), for example, on the rear of an automobile over the rearextension of the frame. Fronrthis baseli), extends therear wall 14 and the end walls 15 and 16'. Both the end walls 15 and 16a-re formed by turning the top ends aroundandl down inside to carry thev bottom 17 horizontally 'therebetween and ata distance above the bas'e'lb.

rihe walls 15 and 16 thus formed have" aspace within them to receive the side walls 1.8 and 19 with va sliding fit so that these ends 18 and 19 may be freely pushed within these spaces and withdrawn easily. The'ends lll-and 19 must slide Yuniformly andrcannot be rocked vertically by reason of the fact 'that the under sides rest on thezbottom 10 while Vthe upper edges slidingly vhorizontal slot 22, into which is tted a square shoulder of thehead of a bolt 23 to have the ybolt'projc-zcted into a hole in the ends 15 and 16V outwardly.therethrough to secure a washer 24 and nut 25.' The outer ends of these bolts 23 are preferably headed so as to prevent the loss of the wingnuts 25 and also to prevent the bolts 23 from slipping back far enough -to allow the Asquare shoulder on the head to drop out of the slots.

The two ends iand 16 are joined along theirv rearvertical edges by the back 14 which extends a distance above the ends and has a top section 27 hinged thereto along the upper edge. This top section 27 preferably,has the side members 28 and"29 adapted to drop down and'lap over the upper edges oi the sides `15 and '16 to have the lips-'B6 project inwardlyto rest on the ends 15 and 16 to be supported by theredges. Preferably arms 31 and'SZ are hingedly connected to the back 14 and tle members 28 and 2i? to supportv and retain the top section 27 in an upper position. These arms are of the 'usual and well known type whichmay be broken to permit the lowering of the top.

The' top section 27 is substantially the same Width as that of the ends 15 and 16 sovthat when it is in the closed position, the front edge comes substantially to the front edges of the '100V members 34 and 35 are bent around inwardly to engage around the vlower edgesoi themembers 28and 29 so 'as to telcscopicallyunite this for- Ward section 33 bylthe membersv 34 and-35 tov the top section 27. Suitable locks 36 are carried l fon the iront 21 to have hasps137 engage lugs 33 on the `iront apron 39 extendingv across between the mernbersfS/l and 35 integrally with the top `section 33. f

Referring now to Fig. 2, I pivotally secure two tubularxmembersfl() and 41 by their ends Vnear the center line ofthe/trunk betweenthe legs 'oi a'. channelbar ll-2. `The'height of these tubular members 40 and 41 is such that they will slidingly contact the base l0 and be below the bottom 17 a sufficient distance to permit the bottom 20 to slide freely therebetween. The lengths oi' these tubular members are such that when they are drawn out in the enlargment of the trunk and the outer ends of the members are rocked away from the center line (here-approximately in the axis of tube 57) their outer ends will project beyond the forward edge of the 10. Into the outer ends of these tubular members are telescopically inserted bars 43 and 44 which have their outer ends pivotally attach-ed between the outer ends of the channel bar 45 which is se-l cured along the lower bottom edge of the front 21.

Where the trunk is made in relatively large sizes, I provide a screw shaft 55 rotatably by one end to the lower side the end 2l and screw-threadodly passing through a nut '55 on the end of the tube 57 rigidly held between the base 10 and lt e bottom 17. O-n the outer end oi the shaft 55 projecting beyond t end 21, I nx a crank 58 as a means of revolving the shaft to carry* the .end 2l in or out from the sides l5 and 16 as may be desired.

Assuming the trunk to be in a normal tracted position, Fig. the trunk may used as it there appears, if that particular car ying capacity is desired. The top sections 33 and V27 may be swung open as a unit closed. a unit and locked by reason o1' the locks provided on the front 21. Should a ing capacity of the trunk the contracted p on not be suflicient, the front 2l may be mov-od out by turning crank 5S to withdraw the 1S and 19 from within the ends l5 and 16 to the desired lposition which may be maintai.. 3d .by tightening up the -wing nuts 25. As the front nl is thus 'moved outwardly, the bars 43 and 44 extended from' the tubular members 4G and 4i accordingly and by reason of `a large proportion of the length of the bars 43 and 44 within the tubular member, the cantilever support of the extended portion-is obtained reason or these tubular members 4 and being pivoted at their ends to the relatively xec trunkmember and resting upon being supported by 'the' base 10 or" trunk member.

Since the members 40 and 4l are pivoted as are the bars 43 and 44 each by their outer ends, it will be seen that as the end Y2l is moved outwardly from the base l0, the levers :formed by these telescoping members will tend to appreach the center line which is midway between the si 'es of the trunk and, as the end 21 is pushed back, these same links will tend to swing outwardly irom the center line while the bars 43 vand 44 will telescope into the tubular members 40 and 41. The members 40 and 41 are always supported upon the base 10.

Where no means are available to support and carry the trunk on the automobile, brackets 50 and 51 may be secured to the downturned anges 52 and 53 at the ends of the base l0 as a means for support from the frame (not shown) oi the automobile. Preferably, the base 10 is also provided with the downturned ange 54 along the open edge of the base 10 as a stilening means over which the tubes 40 and 41 may rest.

While I have here shownand described my rinvention in the one form as now best known to me it is obvious that manystructural changes may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited by that precise form, nor any more than may be required Yby the following claims.

I claim:

l. In an extensible trunk, a relatively xed Yportion comprising a bottom, back and sides, a

movable portion comprising a bottom, front, and ends, said sides Vand ends being adapted to move telescopicall-y one past the other, and extensible supporting cantilevers oblique to each other carried by the xed portion and attached. to the movable portion to support 'the movable portion in extended positions. Y

2. In an extensible trunk. a relatively fixed portion comprising'a bottom, back and sides, a movable portion comprising a bottom, front, ends, said sides and ends being adapted to Vmove telcscopically one past the other, and extensible supporting cantileversV 'carried by the fixed portion and attached to the movable portion to support the movable portion in extended Y positions, and a top in two sections having onel of the sections nxed to one of said trunk por- 1 tions, said two top sections being adapted to be telescopically extended one from the other to provide a complete covering over said two portions. v

3. In an extensible trunk, a relatively Vfixed 1 portion, a movable portion telescopically Iitted to the portion and vextensible supporting ca evers carried by the fixed portion attached to tne movable portion to be extended therewit tion oi movement of the extensible bottom member, :a top in two sections having one of the sections fixed to one'k of said trunk portions, said 'two top sections being adapted to be extended one from the other to provide a complete covering over said two portions.

said cai'itilevers being obligue to the direc- 1 4. In an extensible trunk, a relatively fixed and ends, saidv sides and ends beingv adapted to move telescopically one past the other, and extensible supporting cantilevers carried by the xed portion and attached to the movable portion to support the movable portion in extended positions, and means retaining the. movable 1 portion at selective positions of extension from the fixed portion.

5. In an extensible trunk, a relatively fixed portion, aA movable .portion ,telescopically fitted to the iixed portion, and extensible supporting 1 cantilevers carried by the xed portion attached to the movable portion to be extended therewith, and means retaining the' movable portion at selected positions of extension from the xed portion. Y

6. In an extensible trunk, a relatively .xed bottom, an extensible bottom, a lpair of extensible bottom supporting cantilevers secured by` their inner endsto the iixed bottom and ysecured by their outer endsV to the -extensible bottom vat a different distance apart for their inner and. outer ends, and means associated with the fixed bottom sustaining the supporting members in a horizontal plane. l Y Y 7. In an extensible trunk, a relatively fixed bottom, an extensible bottom, a pair of extenible bottom supporting members secured by their inner ends to the fixed bottom" and secured by their outer ends .to the extensible bottom,

sustaining the supporting Vmembers in a horizontal plane, said supporting members being cantilevers in telescoping sections and the inner ends being pivotally secured adjacent the center line ofthe xed bottom and the outer ends pivotally secured to the extensible bottom at points remote from the center line.

8. In an extensible trunk, a relatively' fixed bottom, a movable bottom telescopically asso-f' ciated with the fixed bottom, a pair of members hingedly secured'by their inner ends under saidv fixed bottom, a base memberrunder said fixed bottom and supporting said pair of members, aL

pair of bars telescopically carried by said pair of members and-- having their outer 'ends fixed `to the movable bottom'nearits outer edge, the inner ends of said pair of Vmembers beingsecured adjacent the longitudinal center line. of

the two bottoms, the inner members of said bars Y being supported by the base member to form them into cantilevers andl outer ends of the said bars being secured at points yalong said outer edge remote from that centerline.

p 9. In an extensible trunk,v a relatively fixed bottom, a movablebottom telescopically asso*- ciated with the fixed bottom, a pair of members hingedly ksecured by their inner ends under said fixed bottom, va base member under said fixed bottom and supporting said pair of members, a pair of .bars telescopically carried by said pair of members and having their outer ends fixed to the movable bottom near its outer edge, the inner ends of said pair of bars being secured adjacent the longitudinal center line of the two bottoms, the inner members of said bars being supported by the base member to form them into cantilevers and outer ends oi" the said bars ,being secured at points along said outer edge remote-from that center line,each of said bot- .toms having ends adapted to lapY one over the bined opening over said two ends, one of said lid Cil sections being hinged to a trunk end,l the end to which the lid is hingedV being higher than the other Walls of the trunk, means limiting the ex-' tension of the ends onev from `the other comprising a telescoping cantilever supported by one trunk-end and supporting the other trunk-end, and lock means securing one of said lid sections in a closed position, the other of the lid sections being lapped thereunder.

. 11. In'an extensible trunk, two load carrying trunk ends, one telescoping horizontally with the other and each open from its top side, and a trunk lid in two telescoping sections adapted'to be extended and contracted toclose thecombined opening oversaid two ends, one'or more telescoping cantilevers supported by one trunkend and supportingthe other trunk-end, a down-Y vturned flange on each side of one of said ends, and two-part supporting arms united by break joints adapted to be secured to said flanges;

vchanical means for moving said movable portion.

' bottom,a pair ofextensible bottom supporting hingedly secured by their inner ends under said fixed bottom, a'base member under said fixed 80 bottom and supporting said pair of members, a

pair of l*bars telescopically carried by saidpair of members and having their outer ends fixed to the movable bottomk near its outer edge, the inner ends 'of said pairrof members being secured adjacent the center line of the two vbottoms and resting upon the base members forming cantilevers, the outer ends of the said barsv being secured at points along said outer edge remote from that center line, a flange at each side of said bottom, and a bracket removably attached to each flange.

13. In an extensible trunk, a relatively fixed portion having ahorizontal base member, a movable 'portion' telescopically fitted to the fixed por- J5 tion, and telescoping supporting cantilevers carried by the xed portion and resting upon the base member thereof and lattached to the movable portion to be extended therewith, and me- 14. In an extensible trunk, al relatively fixed portion, a movable portion telescopically fitted to the fixed portion, extensiblefsupporting inembers carried by the fixed portion .attached to the movable portion to be extended therewith, a top in two sections having one of the sectionsV fixed to one of said trunk portions, vsaid .top sections being adapted t0 be extended one from the other toy provide a complete covering over said two portions, and screw means for moving said movable portion and extending said topl therewith. l

' 15. In an extensible trunk, a relatively xed bottom having a horizontal base, an extensible members secured by their inner ends to the fixed bottomY and secured by their outer ends to thev extensibleebottoni, and means associated with thefixed bottom sustaining the supporting members in a horizontal plane', said supporting members being in telescoping sections and the inner ends being pivotally secured adjacent the center line of the xed bottom at the rear of said bottom and resting upon the base and the outer ends pivotallyA secured tothe extensible bottom at'points remote from the center line and screw means for drawing said extensible bottomlout and toward said fixed bottom."

16. In .anl extensible trunk, a relatively fixed portion, a movable portionI telescopically fitted Ato the fixedv portion, extensible supporting mem- Vbeing higher by the width of saidY fianges than vthe other trunk portions, said top sections being adapted to be extended telescopically one from the other to provide a complete covering over said two portions at any telescopic adjustment of the latter, said top having edge lips to rest on the trunk edge.

ROBERT E.v v STEVENSON. 

